Artificial bait

ABSTRACT

An artificial bait for fishing with a flexible appendage ( 28,28′ ) which is made of soft plastic or other resilient material and it is either formed or interchangeably fitted on a radial bearing ( 27, 27′ ) rotatably mounted on a shaft ( 25, 25′, 25″, 23″ ).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Prior Art

Artificial baits with spinning elements mounted on a shaft usually comprise a lure body equipped with a wire shaft and a propeller made of sheet metal or other rigid, non resilient materials, rotatably mounted on the shaft ahead of a thrust bead. Like any other fishing lures they have their limitations, proved to be in certain fishing conditions disadvantages: (a) the reaction blades cannot be to large without impeding the fish hooking, their inherently limited reaction surface resulting in limited efficiency, and (b) the propeller attracts fish only when spinning; when paused it is simply an inert piece of tin or other rigid material, attached to a more or less enticing prey imitation.

Baits with flexible appendages make use of materials such as soft plastic, rubber etc. for their lifelike appearance, feel and movement. Moreover, some of these materials can be impregnated with various fish attractants. The flexible appendages are attached in various ways, temporarily, interchangeably, or permanent, to a lure body or to a hook.

2. Objects and Advantages

The object of the present invention is to provide an artificial bait with spinning element mounted on a shaft where the spinning element is made of soft plastic or other resilient material, despite the high friction characteristic to such materials.

Consequently, the present invention also provides a new type of attachment for baits with flexible appendages, which enables an appendage made of resilient material to revolve about a shaft.

Accordingly, the bait provided here has several advantages over the prior art, as follows:

-   -   (a) being soft and collapsible, as opposed to rigid, the present         spinning element does not impede the fish hooking and therefore         can be relatively large and shaped in various ways, possibly         imitating frog legs or other animal limbs.     -   (b) being considerably heavier than the usual tin propeller, the         spinning element has more inertia, therefore goes on moving for         longer when the bait is paused during a stop and go retrieve.     -   (c) even when comes to a stop, the spinning element still         entices fish to strike trough its life-like appearance and,         possibly, trough contained fish attractants.     -   (d) when slowly walked trough cover, as weed or lily pads, the         present bait seems to naturally step over.     -   (e) the reaction blades of the spinning element do not only spin         but also erratically flex back and forth and kick the water with         a distinct plopping sound specific to soft, resilient materials.     -   (f) the spinning element provided here can be easily changed at         any time with another one, identical or different in color,         shape or size, which means that the manufacturer will also offer         packages with replacements.     -   (g) the present type of attachment for flexible appendages         enables an appendage made of resilient material, whether or not         shaped as a propeller, to turn about a shaft, therefore to step         over weed, lily pads etc.

SUMMARY

In accordance with the present invention, an artificial bait contains a radial bearing of an approximately tubular shape that bears a flexible appendage made of soft plastic or other resilient material enabling it to spin about a shaft, against an end thrust surface, despite the high friction characteristic to such materials.

DRAWINGS—FIGURES

FIG. 1A shows a lure body equipped with a shaft, a thrust bead and a radial bearing.

FIG. 1B shows the assembly shaft—thrust bead—radial bearing.

FIGS. 1C-1D show a flexible appendage with an axial longitudinal hole.

FIG. 1E, suitable as front page view, shows the manual attachment process.

FIG. 1F shows the flexible appendage stretched as it is pushed over the radial bearing.

FIG. 1G shows the assembled frog bait.

FIG. 1H shows the flexible appendage fitted over the radial bearing.

FIG. 1I shows the frog bait on water, in the process of angling.

FIGS. 2A-2B show an alternative flexible appendage, with a groove.

FIG. 2C shows a lizard bait where the flexible appendage ends in a tail.

FIG. 2D shows a crawdad bait where the flexible appendage ends in a pair of whiskers.

FIGS. 3A-3B show a floating creature bait where a hook is connected to a shaft.

FIG. 4A shows a sinking, jig like bait, where the hook shank acts as shaft.

FIG. 4B shows a floating creature bait where the hook shank acts as shaft.

FIG. 5 shows a creature bait where the flexible appendage runs ahead of the lure body.

FIG. 6 shows an alternative radial bearing and a corresponding flexible appendage.

REFERENCE NUMERALS

21, 21′—lure body

22, 22′—fishing line eyelet

23, 23′, 23″—hook

24—weed guard

25, 25′, 25″—wire shaft

26, 26′, 26″—thrust bead

27, 27′—radial bearing

28, 28′—flexible appendage

29—trough hole

29′—groove

30—arrow showing pull direction

31—arrow showing rotation sense

DETAILED DESCRIPTION FIGS. 1A-1I—Preferred Embodiment

A preferred embodiment of the artificial bait of the present invention is a frog lure shown in FIGS. 1A-1I. FIG. 1A shows a lure body 21, equipped with an eyelet 22 for fishing line connection, a hook 23, a weed guard 24, a wire shaft 25 with a bent acting as stopper, an end thrust bearing 26 well known in the art as thrust bead, and a radial bearing 27 consisting of a thin walled metal tube with tapered ends or rims. The assembly formed by shaft 25—thrust bead 26—radial bearing 27 is shown in an enlarged detail in FIG. 1B.

A flexible appendage 28 (FIGS. 1B and 1C), made of soft plastic, consists of a hub with radial arms integrally formed thereon, partially shaped as reaction blades and imitating a pair of frog legs. The hub has an axial longitudinal trough hole 29 as means to be interchangeably fitted over the radial bearing 27.

The radial bearing 27 and respectively the flexible appendage 28 hub are correlated as shape and dimensions, so that when the flexible appendage spins about its longitudinal axis it engages the radial bearing, which undertakes the friction against shaft 25 and thrust bead 26. Essentially, the trough hole 29 has a diameter slightly smaller than the exterior diameter of the radial bearing 27. Accordingly, the radial bearing compresses the hub as shown in FIG. 1H, tensioning its resilient material. In turn, the hub exerts pressure on the radial bearing, the resulting friction engaging the radial bearing in rotation.

In order to assemble the lure, the appendage 28 is simply pushed by hand, as shown in FIGS. 1E and 2F by the arrow, over the thrust bead 26, then over the trailing rim of the radial bearing 27, and then fitted between the rims of the radial bearing 27, as shown in FIG. 1H. The assembled lure is shown in FIG. 1G and again in a perspective view in FIG. 1I, this time on the water.

The preferred embodiment described above is conceived as topwater bait, as is generally the case with propeller baits as well as with frog baits. Accordingly, the lure body 21 may contain a float insert—air chamber—and respectively a weight insert—lead or tin—features not shown here, being well known in the art. The wire shaft 25 could actually run trough the body 21, having an eyelet for fishing line connection formed on its leading end. The thrust bead 26, shown as freely mounted on the shaft 25 to simplify the drawings, can be fixed against the bend in order to minimize friction, as the hole in a common brass bead, used for example in spinnerbaits, is actually narrower at one end. The hook 23 can be as well a double or a treble, as shown in the additional embodiment of FIG. 2C.

Operation—FIG. 1I

At rest, the frog lure floats as shown in FIG. 1I in a slightly oblique position, head up, with the legs hanging free right under the water surface. This position is important not only as natural for a frog bait, but also in order for the reaction blades to catch water on retrieve. To simplify the drawing, a fishing line is omitted.

On retrieve, when the bait is pulled as shown by the arrow 30, the water resistance forces the flexible appendage 28 in rotation as shown by the arrows 31. The flexible appendage 28 engages the radial bearing 27 which undertakes the friction against the shaft 25 respectively against the thrust bead 26.

As any propeller baits, and topwater baits in general, this embodiment of the present invention is especially effective when retrieved in a stop and go manner. Even only a sharp twitch of the rod tip makes the legs spin and kick the water with a distinct plopping sound, creating an enticing disturbance. Depending on the momentum of the applied force, the appendage limbs do not only spin, but they also flex back and forth, as a pair of frog legs would actually do. Even when paused, the soft plastic legs continue to shake and flex, due to inertia and any water movement. Moreover, the frog legs can be easily replaced at any time with another pair, identical or different in shape, size or color.

FIGS. 2A-2D Additional Embodiments

An alternative flexible appendage 28 shown in FIG. 2A has instead of the through-hole 29 a groove 29′ shaped so as to accommodate and hide the trailing end of shaft 25, the thrust bead 26 and respectively the trailing rim of radial bearing 27, as shown in FIG. 2B, for a more natural appearance. Accordingly, the flexible appendage could end in a tail as shown in the lizard bait of FIG. 2C, or in a pair of whiskers as in the crawdad bait of FIG. 2D. During a stop and go retrieve, the whiskers would twist and then erratically untwist, adding to the illusion of a live creature.

Other possible embodiments, not shown in the drawings and not necessarily imitating a certain actual pray but simply a live creature, could have different interchangeable flexible appendages, for example ending in a split tail, spiral tail etc.

FIGS. 3A-6 Alternative Embodiments

There are various possibilities with regard to the relative disposition of the flexible appendage, the hook and respectively the lure body. If in the preferred embodiment described above the flexible appendage runs behind the hook for a more natural appearance, in the following alternative embodiments the flexible appendage runs ahead of the hook for a better fish hooking ratio.

Consequently the flexible appendage, which is fed over the trailing end of the shaft in the preferred embodiment, will be fed either over the hook point (FIGS. 3A, 4A and 4B) or over the leading end of the shaft (FIG. 5).

FIGS. 3A and 3B show a creature bait where a hook 23′ is connected to the trailing end of a shaft 25′ trough a ribbed thrust bearing 26′ which is actually molded over their tapered ends. Accordingly, the flexible appendage is fed over the hook point and the hook can be dressed with various soft plastic tails or simply a plastic worm secured on the thrust bearing.

FIG. 4A and respectively FIG. 4B show two alternative embodiments where the hook shank acts as shaft. Consequently, a hook 23″ is tapered on a certain point on its shank so as to form a stopper and is equipped with a radial bearing 27 and a cupped thrust bead 26″. In FIG. 4A the lure body 21′ is actually a jig head, the eyelet 22′ is oriented at an angle as in jigs, and the hook shank is tapered on a few more points to secure various soft plastic tails.

In FIG. 5, the flexible appendage 28 runs ahead of the lure body 21. Accordingly, the flexible appendage is fed over the eyelet formed on a shaft 25″ and then a fishing line is tied to the eyelet. The present embodiment can be as well topwater or sinking bait, even for salt water, possibly featuring a metal body whose leading end acts as thrust surface in which case there is no need for a thrust bead. Alternatively, the flexible appendage could run between two body sections interchangeably connected; the eyelet formed on shaft 25″ can be connected to a lure head (not shown) equipped with a snap-on clip at its trailing end and respectively with an eyelet at its leading end so that in order to change the flexible appendage, instead of cutting the line, the head is disconnected from the body.

FIG. 6 shows an alternative, solid body radial bearing 27′ and a corresponding flexible appendage 28′.

CONCLUSION, RAMIFICATIONS AND SCOPE

Accordingly, the reader will see that the artificial bait of the present invention contains a radial bearing which accommodates a flexible appendage made of soft plastic or other elastic material, enabling it to spin about a shaft in the process of angling despite the high friction coefficient characteristic to such materials. Although the detailed description above contains many specificities, these should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention, but as merely providing illustrations of a number of possible embodiments of the present invention.

The radial bearing of the invention is defined not by the particular shapes shown here, but exclusively by its function: when the appendage is forced to spin about its longitudinal axis due to the resistance opposed by water, it engages the radial bearing which in turn undertakes the inherent friction against the shaft, respectively against the thrust surface running behind. Accordingly, the radial bearing can be designed in different ways, made of various materials, consisting of one single element or a plurality of parts.

The flexible appendage, if made of a relatively durable resilient material as rubber or soft polyurethane, can be as well a permanent, integral part of the bait.

The artificial bait of the present invention can be designed in many various ways, as top-water or sinking bait, for fresh or salt water, for casting or trolling. Moreover, the shaft can be bent as in spinnerbaits, buzzbaits etc.

While the particular embodiments described above fall in the category of baits with spinning element mounted on a shaft, the present invention also provides a new type of attachment for the category of baits with flexible appendages, whether or not the flexible appendage is shaped as a propeller. Let us consider for example a frog bait with a pair of soft plastic legs where the front upper part of the leg is cupped, so as to flex back and forth when pulled trough water. The advantages of this new type of attachment are: (a) it is self-aligning, and (b) it enables the flexible appendage to turn about its longitudinal axis—that is to step over when walked trough cover, despite the high friction characteristic to soft, resilient materials.

Moreover, even a soft plastic appendage with no explicit built-in action whatsoever beside its inherent resilience would be enabled to spin about its longitudinal axis, whenever forced to do so by external conditions, without engaging the lure body in rotation or twisting the line.

Accordingly, the scope of the invention should be determined not by the embodiments illustrated, but by the appended claims and their legal equivalents. 

1-9. (canceled)
 10. An artificial bait kit comprising (a) a lure body, and (b) a plurality of interchangeable flexible appendages to be used, one at a time, in conjunction with said lure body, wherein (i) said lure body is equipped with a shaft, (ii) said shaft is equipped with a radial bearing consisting of a thin walled metal tube with outwardly tapered ends, (iii) said flexible appendages are substantially shaped as propellers, having an axial longitudinal hole as means to be mounted on said radial bearing, (iv) said hole diameter is smaller, in a predetermined measure, than the overall diameter of said radial bearing, and (v) said flexible appendages are molded of soft elastomeric material, so that each of said flexible appendages is able to be repeatedly pushed over and respectively pulled off said radial bearing.
 11. The artificial bait kit of claim 14 wherein said radial bearing is mounted on said shaft behind said lure body, whereby each of said flexible appendages is able to be manually mounted on said radial bearing, being fed over said shaft trailing end.
 12. The artificial bait kit of claim 14 wherein said radial bearing is mounted on said shaft ahead of said lure body, and a fishing line eyelet is formed on said shaft leading end, whereby each of said flexible appendages is able to be manually mounted on said radial bearing, being fed over said eyelet.
 13. An artificial bait kit comprising (a) a lure body; and (b) a plurality of interchangeable flexible appendages to be used, one at a time, in conjunction with said lure body, wherein (i) said lure body is equipped with a shaft; (ii) said shaft is equipped with a radial bearing comprising a thin walled metal tube with outwardly tapered ends; (iii) said flexible appendages are substantially shaped as propellers, having an axial longitudinal hole as means to be mounted on said radial bearing; (iv) said hole diameter is smaller, in a predetermined measure, than the overall diameter of said radial bearing; and (v) said flexible appendages are molded of plastic material, so that each of said flexible appendages is able to be repeatedly pushed over and respectively pulled off said radial bearing.
 14. An artificial bait kit comprising (a) a lure body; and (b) a plurality of interchangeable flexible appendages to be used, one at a time, in conjunction with said lure body, wherein (i) said lure body is equipped with a shaft; (ii) said shaft is equipped with a radial bearing; (iii) said flexible appendages having an axial longitudinal hole as means to be mounted on said radial bearing; and (iv) said flexible appendages are molded of plastic material, so that each of said flexible appendages is able to be repeatedly pushed over and respectively pulled off said radial bearing.
 15. An artificial bait kit comprising (a) a lure body; and (b) a plurality of interchangeable flexible appendages to be used, one at a time, in conjunction with said lure body, wherein (i) said lure body is coupled to a shaft; (ii) said shaft is coupled to a radial bearing; and (iii) said flexible appendages are configured to be repeatedly pushed over and respectively pulled off said radial bearing.
 16. A method of using an artificial bait kit comprising (a) pushing a first interchangeable flexible appendage onto a radial bearing, the radial bearing coupled to a shaft, the shaft coupled to a lure body; and (b) pulling the first interchangeable flexible appendage off the radial bearing.
 17. The method of claim 16 further comprising pushing a second interchangeable flexible appendage onto the radial bearing after removing the first interchangeable flexible appendage.
 18. The method of claim 16 wherein the first interchangeable flexible appendage has an axial longitudinal hole as means to be mounted on the radial bearing and the first interchangeable flexible appendage molded of soft plastic material, so that the first interchangeable flexible appendage can be repeatedly pushed over and respectively pulled off the radial bearing. 